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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24102223">Whenever You Need Me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Benjamaru/pseuds/Benjamaru'>Benjamaru</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Haunting of Hill House (TV 2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Grief/Mourning, Healing, What-If</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:01:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>565</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24102223</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Benjamaru/pseuds/Benjamaru</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Where did it all go wrong? If you asked Steven Crain, he'd tell you it was when he declined a certain phone call.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eleanor "Nell" Crain &amp; Steven Crain</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Whenever You Need Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I had a depressive episode, wrote this in in like 3 hours, bon appetite</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="GOS">“You know who I wish would write a book: your dad,” Irene Walker said, but Steve wasn’t paying much attention as he was currently debating with himself as to whether he should accept Nell’s call or just hang up. He thought he had made up his mind, thumb descending on to the decline icon, when he froze, suddenly feeling the overwhelming sense of deja vu, “are you alright?” Irene asked him, snapping him out of his funk.</p>
<p class="GOS">“Uh, yeah,” he lied, phone still buzzing in his hand, “sorry, I have to take this,” he said with an unexpected urgency. He walked out of the house without much care to Irene’s response and accepted the call.</p>
<p class="GOS">“Steve?” Nell’s voice came through shaky, nervous.</p>
<p class="GOS">“Hey Nellie, is everything alright?” Steve wasn’t sure why he was asking, very little was alright with Nell these days, remembering that he started to feel guilty for even thinking about ignoring her before.</p>
<p class="GOS">“I don’t know, everything’s so… twisted right now,” she said, sounding rough, “I’m worried about Luke. Have you heard from him?”</p>
<p class="GOS">“Er, no, they don’t let you have phones in his rehab center; in fact, I hear the punishment for breaking that rule is public humiliation,” Steve said, chuckling as he remembered Luke’s story. </p>
<p class="GOS">“What?”</p>
<p class="GOS">“Luke tells it better, just ask him about it next time you get the chance. What about you, Nell, you good?”</p>
<p class="GOS">“Uh, yeah, I’m fine,” she said.</p>
<p class="GOS">“That wasn’t very convincing,” Steve paused for a moment, choosing his next words carefully, “is this about Arthur?”</p>
<p class="GOS">“Yes, no, it’s hard to explain. Do you remember the Bent Neck Lady?”</p>
<p class="GOS">“How could I forget?” Steve said, trying to sound casual.</p>
<p class="GOS">“She’s back.”</p>
<p class="GOS">“What?” Steve never believed in the Bent Neck Lady when they were kids, but this frightened him, “where are you?”</p>
<p class="GOS">“I’m at the motel.”</p>
<p class="GOS">“What motel?”</p>
<p class="GOS">“You know, <i>the</i> motel,” Nell said, Steve wasn’t sure why but that overwhelmed him with the most ominous feeling.</p>
<p class="GOS">“Shit, Nellie, get somewhere else- go to Shirl’s, I’ll meet you there,” he’d have to catch a last minute flight and reschedule things with Irene but he knew he had to go as soon as possible.</p>
<p class="GOS">“Okay. Hey Steve, I’m sorry for what I did at your book reading.”</p>
<p class="GOS">“It’s okay,” Steve paused, replaying the encounter in his mind, “you weren’t wrong. For what it’s worth I’m sorry about what I said too.”</p>
<p class="GOS">“It’s worth a lot, actually,” Nell said through sorrowful sniffling, “I love you, Stevie.”</p>
<p class="GOS">“Love you too, Nellie, see you soon,” Steve hung up.</p>
<p class="GOS">Suddenly Steve was staring at the ceiling of his bedroom. He sighed as his half asleep mind realized that was all a dream. He clenched his fist in a mix of sorrow and anger, then a cold hand gently folded around his own, he looked over to see none other than his dead sister sitting weightlessly on his bedside.</p>
<p class="GOS">“That’s how things should have gone,” Steve said, a tear welling in his eye.</p>
<p class="GOS">“It was a nice dream,” Nell said with a small smile, “there’s nothing wrong with imagining something better, just don’t get lost in the dream,” she placed her hand over his heart, “I’m here, whenever you need me.”</p>
<p class="GOS">In the blink of an eye Nell was gone from sight. Mind unburdened by regret, heart no longer heavy with longing, Steve slowly relaxed and eventually peaceful sleep came to him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm sorry for doing the "it was a dream" thing but it felt right. I think I was subliminally inspired by the "sweet dreams, they were" post on imgur, that always hits me right in the feels.<br/>Anyway, I hope you enjoyed!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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